Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-05-17
iCopynshi. issi, ty Aiscci a fostss.
THE GOOD OLD TIMES OF A
CENTURY AGO.
Chapter TIIL
LAW AND TACr.
b, JupaE c. Z. wmIrnM.

lnA dingy office. over whole.Al'
merehan, and importers store. on State
Street. Boston. "a, iwo men engaged Ia
earnest conversation. One Of them. ih'
owner OF occupant. was evidently law
yer. f1r the shelves Of hi. bookcase
contained volumes Of the Massachusetts,
Statutes. reports Of dsei,ioas. a las die.
iionafy. C3ke on Li,ile,on ard numerous
legal text books. lie Was small 10 stat.
urr. and looked =. II consumption bad al
ready begun IL. fatal work upon biz sy'.
TEN. The white streak. Ia hi. hair. sud
the wrinkles in hi. face, showed thu, he
was getting along Ia years. III. nose
rcssmbled hawks bill in appearance.
HI, eye. we're .mlll and sunken, and bis
fnser were long and ben, in toward
the palm Of the hand. =, if,hsy bad been
much ussd in gra'Pins and retaining
whatever came wiihia bis reach. lie
Va. clearly an "old rat" IL there ever
va, one Ia the shape of man.
The other VI. tall and eadAyeroas.
and was also getting along in years. lis
appearance denoted the ,ssdy individual
who had seen better days stephen
Belchsr is no, familiar acquaintance,
though the reader hA. had glimpse Of
him a, ,se hat Of Aun, Betty, bending
over her sleeping form 70 take a look a,
her wrirklsd ,issge. a. one migt, q, an
hour glass. ia order TO determine how long
II would take the sands 10 run out.
"why DO you think there Is another
will'" nsrvously Inquired the attorney.
"B.csas, Eil,be,h the same I. told
me 40. once. several ysar ago, while on
a,i,il hsre 20 see you on some bushes.
connected with her fathers vii"
"lnds,d; but Why didyou no, mention
IL before
"She told me II the second will should
be ehsnoeiisd ,he would get nothing.
a, her sister would have The property"
I'll DO 40, believe ,hi. story. said the
lawyer. "Sse probably told you ,ha, 10
stop your demands for mOasy. You have
been a great source Of annoyance TO her
and 70 me" A,,his remark Bsleher red
dened 10 the roots Of hi. hair.
"who hA. suffered" be hercely de-
mAndel with elenehsd hand. Didn't
,ke invsisls me into marrying her. pass.
ing herself OF a. being twice A' young az
she really was. and representing hsrself
a. an heirss.. when in fac, she had com.
parsiivsly nothing And did no, you.
the executor Of her father. will. tell me
she had large fortune left herr should
have Married her II you hAdn', lied to
ms,' lie had risen 10 bis feet and stood
msnseinsly before the lawyer as II be
would ,woop down upon him like AZ ca.
sle from bis eyrie
"Sii down. man. Il, down" he replied.
There i. no need Of getting heated.
whA, did YOU marry her for ifyou didn',
like her,"
MARY her f5r II didn', like her.
be repeated. "WhAtA question that Is
10 ask. Nobody could live with witch.
found her ca, in a very short time. and
LEFT her. My life has been blasted.
and have lived like vAgabond ever
since. Ba, even thl, Is preferable TO a
life with her"
III man !. fool enough TO marry for
money. /, /. fitting tia, be should be dis
appointed. /, isa pity ,ha, you have
any life TO blast. for you are blasted
lido, and always was. bat wha, you say
about being vsgabond l' true enough.
Why do you come here to din this stuff
into my ,Ar''
The vsgabOnd had risen to his fee,
again.
"li il this" he hi..ed through his sc,
teeth. IL will make you di'gorge. You
have squsndered the estate. and you shall
give i, up to the lawful heirs. every cen,
III. II can get no part Of It. | an
determined that you .hsn't have it,"
I'll have settled the estate. you seoan-
drel," said the attorney. rising 10 front OF
bis desk, and glowering at his visitor.
III have your wife's receipt and my final
1eeoun, has been settled and allowed by
the court" As be said this bis little eyes
.hone like two Goals Of fire.
"Ye.. you settled with her a, a nominal
figure by telling her there were large
claims sgain., the estate. bu, what does
your reeeip, amour, to if,hsre is another
will, am no lawyer bu, know your
settlement won't amount 70 . rush.
The lawyer WINGED under this statement.
This talk Of another will is the mer.
e., nonsense" he replied. re'uming his
seat. "There !, 40 such doeumen, In ex-
i.,enee.
"Ba, suppose there |, proof ths, Il
Was purpO.ely destroyed"
"No,hing Of the kind was ever exeeu.
ted to begin With. and Of course II could.
Mt be destroyed. know this"
"Perhsps, but l am sure thu, one Was
made and is now in existence" The
lawyer gave = sligh, start. but Instantly
checked bis look Of surprise aud alarm.
"Thsn /, is forgery he 'sid.
"No, there was nothing wrong aboa,
IL, except In eoneealing the true will. aud
settling the estate under the false one.
"Have you consulted COUNSEL eager.
ly asked the lawyer.
"Tha, s my business Was the curt
reply.
"And It is mine. II there is q con'pira.
cy sfoO, to irjure me"
"Conspiraey! conspiracy. indeed F! You
are q pretty man to talk Of eonspirseiss.
"where isyour wife and these so-cAlled
heirs, and what are their namss'' The
attorney knew their names better than
Belchsr did. for the fact was, he did not
know their names or where they were.
lie knew where his abandoned wife was.
and ,ha, Was al. The lawyer knew the
names Of the heis, and hsd'ths best OF